The present invention relates to a management apparatus and method or the like for controlling power such that the management apparatus can make good use of operations for controlling and monitoring apparatuses connected on a network.
In recent years, a system has been proposed which connects not only computers and their peripheral equipment but also a plurality of apparatuses, for example, home electric appliances, audio equipment, VTRs (i.e., video tape recorder) or the like as appliances for home use to the network to control and manage them. Such a system is composed of a host apparatus, which has a host function and controls other apparatuses connected to the network, and a target apparatus that becomes a target of control of the host apparatus.
FIG. 5 illustrates a configuration of a host apparatus according to a conventional art. In the figure, reference numeral 501 denotes a host apparatus, 502 denotes a network for connecting to a not-shown external target apparatus, 511 denotes an interface section, 512 denotes a service section for performing operations peculiar to the host apparatus 501, 513 denotes a timer section for performing reserving operations, 521 denotes an interface section, 522 denotes a host section having communication, control and other network functions, 524 denotes a storage section for recording a command and other information inputted from a target apparatus via the network 502, 525 denotes a power source monitoring section, 526 denotes a power source and 527 denotes a communication section. Here, the power source monitoring section 525 and the power source 526 are means that are commonly used by both the service section 512 and the host section 522 to receive supply of electric power.
In the host apparatus 501 according to the conventional art which has the above-mentioned configuration, the service section 512 performs service operations peculiar to the apparatus, whereas the host section 522 performs control or monitoring of a target apparatus connected to the network 502 as a host of the network 502. In addition, the host section 522 is also capable of operating based on a reserved time set in the timer section 513.
Here, the host apparatus 501 may have a configuration in which the host section 522 is positioned as a central function of the apparatus, and the service section 512 is additionally positioned as a section not specifically necessary. That is, the service function 512 and the host function 522 are equivalently positioned viewed from the power source 526 and the power source monitoring section 525 and do not have a clear distinction as the target monitored by the power source monitoring section 525.
However, the conventional host apparatus 501 having such a configuration may cause inconvenience for a user described below.
FIG. 6 illustrates a power control state transition for explaining operations of the host apparatus 501. As shown in FIG. 6, if a user sends an instruction 615 for making the power state of the apparatus 501 off while the host apparatus 501 is operating (in mode 601), since the power source monitoring section 525 and the power source 526 are commonly used by the service section 512 and the host section 522, the service section 512 and the host section 522 are completely turned off (mode 604) by a single instruction to turn off the power. FIG. 6 also illustrates an instruction 617 from mode 604 to mode 601.
Here, even if the user sends the instruction 615 intending to stop only the service section 512, since the host section 522 simultaneously stops at that point, if the host section 522 controls a target apparatus connected to the network 502 at the time when the instruction 615 is sent, it is likely that the control of the target apparatus is stopped by the stop of the host section 522, which affects the other target apparatuses connected to the network 502.
Therefore, in a system in which a network is established, since the power source state of the host apparatus 501 having the host function such as the host section 522 together with the service section 512 cannot be turned into the off state 604 and it is not a desirable operation either, the host apparatus having the service section 512 has a problem in that operations of the service section cannot be performed as instructed by the user. A similar problem also occurs in the case in which the power source section 526 is given a standby function as in a control by, for example, a remote controller.
In order to avoid such a problem, a control of the power source state has to be controlled by configuring a host apparatus to give interface sections 711 and 721, power source monitoring sections 715 and 725, power supplies 716 and 726 or the like independently to a service section 712 and a host section 722, respectively, as in a host apparatus 701 shown in FIG. 7 and receiving inputs from the interface sections independently in the service section and the host section. Host apparatus 701 in FIG. 7 also includes timer section 723, storage section 724, and communication section 727. Here, FIG. 8 illustrates a power control state transition in the case in which the host apparatus 701 is used, and as shown in the figure, an operation mode 801 and a stop mode 802 of the host section 722 and an operation mode 803 and a stop mode 804 of the service section 712 are independent each other, thus the user needs to perform a control independently with respect to the host section 722 and the service section 712 by using the interface section 711 and 721.
As described above, according to the above-mentioned conventional art, in the host apparatus 501 having a service function and a host function peculiar to the apparatus together, since means such as an interface section for controlling electric power supplied to a service section and a host section that are both the functions are common to the service section and the host section, it is undesirable to turn off the power state of an apparatus having the host function connected to a network, thus the user substantially cannot control the service function.
In addition, a host apparatus 701 having a configuration in which, in order to give a composited function of a service function and a host function, a service section and a host section that are both the functions are independent as in the host apparatus 701, and to give a plurality of means of controlling supply states of electric power to each function for a user, whereby the service function can be controlled without stopping the operations of the host function, but an entire configuration and operations of the host apparatus become complicated and operations with large power consumption and low efficiency are performed.
The present invention has been devised in view of the above-mentioned subject and is to provide a management apparatus or the like having a host function for performing operations with respect to a network and a service function for performing other operations, wherein, while means of switching a state of a power supply which a user can operate directly is one as in the past, the management apparatus can perform a control of a state of power supply by the host function and the service function individually, make maximum use of operations of control and monitoring with respect to the other apparatuses connected to the network, and suppress useless power consumption.
To achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention is a management apparatus, comprising:
an interface section for receiving an input of at least an on command or an off command from the outside;
host means connected on a network;
a service section for performing a predetermined operation;
a power source for supplying electricity at least to said host means and said service section; and
power supply controlling means of controlling a state of a power supplies to said host means and said service section,
characterized in that if said interface section receives an input of an off command when the power supplies to said host means and said service means are in the on state, said interface section causes said power supply controlling means to turn the power supply to said service section into the off state and checks an operating state of said host means, and if said host means operates, keeps the power supply to said host means in the on state by said power supply controlling means.
Further, the 2nd invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 2) is the management apparatus according to the above-described invention further comprising reserving operation setting means of reserving an operation of said host means,
characterized in that if said interface section receives an input of an off command, said interface section checks an operating state of said host means and a reservation state of said reserving operation setting means,
if said host means does not operate and a reservation is made in said reserving operation setting means, said interface section causes said power supply controlling means to turn the power supply to said host means into a standby state, and
if said host means does not operate and a reservation is not made in said reserving operation setting means, said interface section causes said power supply controlling means to turn the power supply to said host means into the off state.
Further, the 3rd invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 3) is the management apparatus according to the above-described invention,
characterized in that if said interface section confirms that the operation of said host means ends, said interface section causes said power supply controlling means to turn the power supply to said host means into the off state.
Further, the 4th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 4) is the management apparatus according to the above-described invention,
characterized in that said interface section is further capable of receiving an input of a standby command,
if said interface section receives an input of the standby command when the power supplies to the host means and the service section is in the on state, said interface section causes said power supply controlling means to turn the power supply of said service section into a standby state and checks an operating state of said host means,
if said host means operates, said interface section causes said power supply controlling means to turn the power supply to said host means into the on state, and
if said host means does not operate, said interface section causes said power supply controlling means to turn the power supplies to said service section and said host means into a standby state.
Further, the 5th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 5) is the management apparatus according to the above-described invention,
characterized in that if said interface section confirms that an operation of said host means ends, said interface section causes said power supply controlling means to turn the power supply of said host means into the standby state.
Further, the 6th invention of the present invention (corresponding claim 6) is the management apparatus according to the above-described invention, further comprising reserving operation setting means of reserving an operation of said host means,
characterized in that if a reserved time set in said reserving operation setting means comes or if said interface section receives a command to release the standby command, said interface section causes said power supply controlling means to turn the power supply to said host means into the on state.
Further, the 7th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 7) is the management apparatus according to the above-described invention,
characterized in that if said interface section receives an input of an on command, said interface section causes said power controlling means to turn power supply states to said service section and said host means into the on state.
Further, the 8th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 8) is the management apparatus according to the above-described invention,
characterized in that if said interface section receives an input of a standby releasing command, said interface section causes said power control means to turn power supply states to said service section and said host means into the on state.
Further, the 9th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 9) is a medium carrying a program and/or data for causing a computer to execute all or a part of functions of all or a part of means of the present invention described in any one of the 1st to 8th inventions, characterized in that the medium is processable by a computer.
Further, the 10th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 10) is an information aggregate, characterized by being a program and/or data for causing a computer to execute all or a part of functions of all or a part of means of the present invention described in any one of the 1st to 8th inventions.
Since the management apparatus is configured as described above, it can make maximum use of operations of control and monitoring with respect to the other apparatuses connected to the network and suppress useless power consumption.
For example, in a power saving switching method of the present invention, an apparatus for switching a power source state which a user can operate directly is one as in the past and has a configuration in which states more than two of on and off states are given in order to manage power source to a host function and a service function peculiar to the apparatus individually.
Moreover, by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
if the power supply to the above-mentioned service section and the above-mentioned host means are in a normal mode that is the on state and the above-mentioned interface section has received an instruction to turn the management apparatus into the off state,
xe2x80x83the above-mentioned interface section sending a command to stop operations to the above-mentioned service section and also sending a command to check operating states of the above-mentioned host means to the above-mentioned host means; and
if the above-mentioned host means performs operations with respect to the above-mentioned network,
the above-mentioned power supply controlling means transitioning to a first wait mode (host mode) for turning the power supply to the above-mentioned service section into the off state.
In addition, by using the above-mentioned present invention, a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
if the above-mentioned host means does not perform operations with respect to the above-mentioned network and an reservation is not made in the above-mentioned reserving operation setting means in the above-mentioned host mode of the above-mentioned power saving switching method,
the above-mentioned power supply controlling means transitioning to a second wait mode (downmode) for turning both the power supplies to the above-mentioned service section and the above-mentioned host means into the off state.
In addition, by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
when the above-mentioned interface section receives an input of an instruction to turn the power state of the above-mentioned management apparatus into the on state in the above-mentioned host mode of the above-mentioned power saving switching method,
xe2x80x83the above-mentioned power supply controlling means turning the power supply state of the above-mentioned service section into on; and
the above-mentioned interface section sending a command to start operations to the above-mentioned service section and the above-mentioned service section transitioning to the above-mentioned normal mode for operating with an already operating host means.
Moreover, by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
if the power supplies to the above-mentioned service section and the above-mentioned host means are in the normal mode that is the on state and the above-mentioned interface section has received an instruction to turn the management apparatus into the off state,
xe2x80x83the above-mentioned interface section sending a command to stop operations to the above-mentioned service section and also sending a command to check operating states of the above-mentioned host means to the above-mentioned host means; and
if the above-mentioned host means does not perform operations with respect to the above-mentioned network and a reservation is made in the above-mentioned reserving operation setting means,
the power supply control means transitioning to a third wait mode (host standby mode) for turning the power supply to the service section into the off state and also turning the power supply to the host means into the standby state.
In addition, by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
if the above-mentioned host means reached a time when operations with respect to the above-mentioned network is started based on a reservation made in the above-mentioned reserving operation setting means in the above-mentioned host standby mode of the above-mentioned power saving switching method,
the above-mentioned power supply controlling means transitioning to the host mode for turning the power supply to the host means into the on state and keeping the power state of the above-mentioned service section in the off state.
In addition, by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
if the above-mentioned interface section receives an instruction to turn the management apparatus into the on state in the above-mentioned host standby mode in the above-mentioned power saving switching method, the above-mentioned power supply controlling means transitioning to the above-mentioned normal mode for turning both the power supplies to the above-mentioned host means and the above-mentioned service section into the on state and the above-mentioned service section performing operations according to a command from the above-mentioned interface section.
Moreover, by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
if the power supplies to the above-mentioned service section and the above-mentioned host means are in the normal mode that is the on state and the above-mentioned interface section has received an instruction to turn the above-mentioned management apparatus into the off state,
xe2x80x83the above-mentioned interface section sending a command for stopping operations of the above-mentioned service section and checking operating states of the above-mentioned host means to the above-mentioned host means; and
if the host means does not perform operations with respect to the above-mentioned network and the above-mentioned network information holding means does not hold network reservation information,
the above-mentioned power supply controlling means transitioning to the down mode for turning both the power supplies to the above-mentioned host means and the above-mentioned service section into the off state.
In addition, by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
if the above-mentioned interface section receives an instruction to turn the management apparatus into the on state in the above-mentioned down mode of the above-mentioned power saving switching method,
the above-mentioned power supply controlling means turning the power supply to the above-mentioned service section into the on state, and the above-mentioned interface section transitioning to the above-mentioned normal mode for operating the above-mentioned service section and causing the above-mentioned host means to perform operations with respect to the above-mentioned network.
Moreover by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
if the power supply to the above-mentioned service section and the above-mentioned host means is in the normal mode that is the on state and the above-mentioned interface section receives an instruction to turn the above-mentioned management apparatus into the standby state,
xe2x80x83the above-mentioned interface section sending a command to stop operations to the above-mentioned service section and also sending a command to check operating states of the above-mentioned host means to the above-mentioned host means; and
if the above-mentioned host means confirms that operations with respect to the above-mentioned network are performed, the above-mentioned power supply controlling means transitioning to a fourth wait mode (service standby mode) for turning the power supply to the above-mentioned host means into the on state and turning the power supply to the above-mentioned service section into the standby mode.
In addition, by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
when the above-mentioned interface section receives an input of an instruction to turn the above-mentioned management apparatus into the off state in the above-mentioned service standby mode of the above-mentioned power saving switching method,
xe2x80x83the above-mentioned interface section sending a command to stop operations to the above-mentioned service section and also sending a command to check a power supply state to the above-mentioned host means; and
if the above-mentioned host means performs operations with respect to the above-mentioned network, the above-mentioned power supply controlling means transitioning to the host mode for turning only a power supply of the above-mentioned service section into the off state.
In addition, by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
if the above-mentioned interface section has received an input of an instruction to turn the above-mentioned management apparatus into a standby releasing mode in the above-mentioned service standby mode of the above-mentioned power saving switching method,
xe2x80x83the above-mentioned interface section sending a command to start operations to the above-mentioned service section; and
the power supply controlling means transitioning to the above-mentioned normal mode for turning both the power supplies to the above-mentioned host means and the above-mentioned service section into the on state.
Moreover, by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
if the power supplies to the above-mentioned service section and the above-mentioned host means is in the normal mode that is the on state and the above-mentioned interface section has received an instruction to turn the above-mentioned management apparatus into the standby state,
xe2x80x83the above-mentioned interface section sending a command to stop operations of the above-mentioned service section to the above-mentioned service section and also sending a command to check operating states to the above-mentioned host means; and
if the above-mentioned host means does not perform operations with respect to the above-mentioned network and a reservation is made in the above-mentioned reserving operation setting means, the above-mentioned power supply controlling means transitioning to a double standby mode for turning both the power supplies to the above-mentioned host means and the above-mentioned service section.
In addition, by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
when the power supply controlling means has turned the power supply to the above-mentioned host means into the on state based on the reservation made in the above-mentioned reserving operation setting means in the above-mentioned double standby mode of the above-mentioned power saving switching method,
the above-mentioned power supply controlling means turning the power supply to the above-mentioned host means into the on state and the above-mentioned host means transitioning to a service standby mode for starting operations with respect to the above-mentioned network.
In addition, by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
if the above-mentioned interface section has received an instruction to turn the above-mentioned management apparatus into the standby releasing state, the above-mentioned interface section sending a command to start operations to the above-mentioned service section and turning both the power supplies to the above-mentioned host means and the above-mentioned service section into the on state to transition to the above-mentioned normal mode.
In addition, by using the above-mentioned present invention,
a power saving switching method is realized which is characterized by including the steps of:
if the above-mentioned interface section has received an instruction to turn the above-mentioned management apparatus into the off state in the above-mentioned double standby mode of the above-mentioned power saving switching method, the above-mentioned interface section sending a command to stop operations to the above-mentioned service section and the above-mentioned power supply controlling means transitioning to the host standby mode for turning the power supply to the above-mentioned service section into the off state.